Ride Ataxia, Northern California 2010

What a ride!
Difficult, inspiring, gorgeous. Not a lot of photos, but great memories.
Starting off in the a.m. -- all ready to get my bundle of nerves on the road. Sacramento to Grass Valley. All uphill.

Some folks spent the night up in Grass Valley and rode home the next day (in what also looks like a challenging ride). Here they are collecting the overnight bags.

Kyle saying a few words before we take off. He expressed his gratitude at everyone supporting this ride. He said that after his diagnosis, he and his family felt very alone. Now he feels like he has a community of supporters. He also said that when he's pedaling, he reminds himself to just keep going -- that he has a goal and all he has to do is keep moving to get there. He analogized that to Ataxia research -- the scientists know where they want to go and they are getting the means to get there, they just have to stay the course and work together and a cure/treatment will be in sight.
Minus the telephone wires, a lovely view of the Sac valley.
This is kind of difficult to read, but it says that on May 16 (the day after this ride), there will be no parking due to the "Tour of California" bike race. As I climbed up this hill, I laughed at those wimpy professional cyclists who would be riding down the same hill the following day.
One of only a few downhills for the day. I would not want to be climbing up the other way -- in all fairness, the wimpy professional cyclists had to take this hill the hard way. There was a troupe of cyclists coming up this road of switch-backs and one-lane bridges as I was riding down. Suckers.
I made it! And was greeted by chainsaw-art!

The lovely group who were welcoming the cyclists in -- I was the 5th person to come in and the FIRST girl! Woo-hoo! The group after us came in about 20+ minutes after I did. Great group of crew -- most of whom had a personal connection with the ride and were supporting a friend or relative who has ataxia. It was pretty powerful to hear all their stories and reasons.
Secret of a fun-loving crew:
Yup -- they were chugging some cold ones during their shift.

Like I said. Not so many pictures. But here are a couple of my Uncle Tom, in whose honor I did this ride. I'm happy that I could do it and thank all that is holy that I am healthy enough to take on these feats year after year. There but for the grace of God . . .